Scoliosis and Inquiries: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-04
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Ruairí Ó Murchú (SF), Louth

Dignity4Patients represents 400 abuse survivors - that is 398 men and two women. I have an abject fear that that does not represent all the people abused by Michael Shine, a consultant who was able to operate like God. There were failures by Our Lady of Lourdes, the Medical Missionaries of Mary, the Garda and successive Departments of Health, and there was failure by this State and its governments over many years. I welcome that Lorcan Staines is in position and we have a timeline for a scoping exercise, but it needs to deliver a full public inquiry that delivers for the likes of Larry, Cianan, Gerard and Peter, whom we heard from when Deputy Joanna Byrne had a presentation in the audiovisual room. "Horrified" does not even cut it in relation to what was done to these people and the failure to provide them with truth and justice. We need to make sure that happens. For far too long we have been in here dealing with the failures of the State. We need delivery for those who have been abused and have survived.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-04/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:43+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-04